Hot water heater with bulkhead screw fitting

ABSTRACT

A hot water heater is provided and includes a tank, a cold water supply, a hot water outlet, and a heating element. The element has a component with incorporated screw bulkhead, plastic terminal block, resistor and Ultem sleeve.

CROSS REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/903,093, filed Nov. 11, 2013, entitle “Hot Water Heater with Bulkhead Screw Fitting”, the entire contents of which application is incorporated by reference as fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to water heaters, and more particularly to electrically heated water tanks with immersion heaters.

2. Description of the Related Art

Electrically heated water tanks can have immersion heaters. To permit replacement of the heater, the heater is provided with a mounting plate, by means of which it is detachably held in the tank, the wall being provided with a flanged coupling member against which the mounting plate is held by bolts. Generally, the flange of the coupling member is provided with tapped holes for receiving the bolts. The tanks, complete with the coupling members, are often stored outside by the manufacturer until needed. The exposure to the weather causes the threads to rust and the holes to be clogged with corrosion. Therefore, it is often necessary to retap the holes before the tanks can be used.

Also, in assembling the mounting plate of the heater to the coupling member, the threads on the bolts or the coupling member are occasionally stripped or a bolt is broken, necessitating additional expense for repairs.

One type of immersion heater for a hot water heater includes an electric heating element which may be of the hair-pin type. The element can have a metal sheath made of copper or copper alloy to resist corrosive action of the contents of the vessel. A coiled wire resistor can be disposed within the sheath and held in a central position by heat-conducting electric-insulating material, such as densely packed granular refractory material.

The heating element can be manufactured with the sheath initially rectilinear, and the resistor and refractory material is disposed within the sheath and the latter is subjected to a side pressing or rolling action to densify the refractory material to rock-like condition. In the case of hair-pin type heater the sheath can be looped.

Terminal pins are carried by and mechanically and electrically connected to opposite ends of the resistor and these terminal pins extend outwardly of respective ends of the sheath legs. A polystyrene bushing can be included to close the open end of each sheath leg, with the terminal pins projecting beyond the bushings. The resistor can be disposed within a bulge in the bracket, as can have one terminal welded to the bracket and the other terminal disposed between the flange and the insulation. The bracket can have spring lingers extending therefrom to support a thermal responsive element.

A mounting member can be formed of flat steel and stamped to a rectangular formation to coincide with a square shape of the head. The mounting member can have flat, opposed sides. A flat gasket of electrical insulating material can overly the side of the mounting member to protect this side from corrosive action of contents of the vessel, the gasket being compressed between the side and the gasket surface of the bushing. The gasket can be made of a relatively hard gasket material, such as, for example, a compressed composition of natural or synthetic rubber and asbestos.

The legs of the heating element can pass through holes and are considerably smaller in diameter to provide Ian annular space. The Shanks of tubular bushings are closely disposed around the legs and within the holes and the heads of the bushings overlie the gasket. The bushing heads are pressed against the gasket to slightly indent the latter to affect a good seal, and the heads are subjected to a staking operation to form an annular V-shaped groove.

An oblong terminal block of suitable dielectric material is held against the side of the mounting member. The block can have a pair of holes to pass the terminal pins, each hole terminating in an inwardly open recess to receive a putty-like filler. Terminal strips can be supported against the outwardly directed surface of the dielectric block and each is formed with a hole to pass respective terminal pins, the end of each pin being welded to the strip as shown by the headed part. A bracket can be provided to hold the foregoing assembly to the vessel.

Current immersion heaters include a plastic terminal block, a metallic screw bulkhead, plastic terminal block and Ultem sleeve as separate components.

There is a need for improved immersion heaters for hot water heaters.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved hot water heater.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved immersion heaters for hot water heater.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an immersion heater for a hot water heater that consolidates a screw bulkhead, plastic terminal block, resistor and Ultem sleeve in one single component.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a schematic view through an electric hot water heater of the present invention

FIG. 2 illustrates a single component that consolidates a screw bulkhead, plastic terminal block, resistor and Ultem sleeve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a hot water heater is one embodiment of a hot water heater 10 of the present invention. Heater 10 includes a tank 12, a cold water supply 14, hot water outlet 16, high temperature cutoff 18 and one or more heating elements 20, which in one embodiment can be an upper and lower heating elements 20(a) and 20(b). A drain value 22 is provided. One or more thermostats 24 are included. When there are two heating elements 20(a) and 20(b), two thermostats 24(a) and 24(b) are included. An electric supply 26 and access panel are provided. A pressure relief valve 28 provides for relief of internal pressure.

FIG. 2 illustrates that the heating element 20 includes a component 30 that incorporates a screw bulkhead 32, plastic terminal block 34, resistor 36 and Ultem sleeve 38.

The foregoing description of various embodiments of the claimed subject matter has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimed subject matter to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to the practitioner skilled in the art. Particularly, while the concept “component” is used in the embodiments of the systems and methods described above, it will be evident that such concept can be interchangeably used with equivalent concepts such as, class, method, type, interface, module, object model, and other suitable concepts. Embodiments were chosen and described in order to best describe the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the relevant art to understand the claimed subject matter, the various embodiments. 

What is claimed:
 1. A hot water heater, comprising a tank, a cold water supply; a hot water outlet; a heating element that includes a component with incorporated screw bulkhead, plastic terminal block, resistor and Ultem sleeve.
 2. The heater of claim 1, further comprising: first and second heating elements.
 3. The heater of claim 1, further comprising: one or more thermostats.
 4. The heater of claim 1, further comprising: a drain valve.
 5. The heater of claim 1, further comprising: an electric supply.
 6. The heater of claim 1, further comprising: an access panel.
 7. The heater of claim 1, further comprising: a pressure relief valve. 